Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

At more than double the price of the Jo N^o5, the N^o8 is a text-book case of expanding a range. Obviously, every cartridge family should show an elevation in parts quality appropriate to price increases, so the N^o8 offers more than just a solid chestnut body in place of its sister's mint green polyamide shell. I am no clairvoyant, but I wrote that the N^o5's body recalled the legendary Mr Brier. The new cartridge confirms it for the N^o8 is almost a dead-ringer for the earlier Japanese MC.

Starting at the tip, the N^o8 uses a nude Shibata stylus fitted to a boron cantilever, in place of the N^o5's nude Fine Line on an alloy cantilever. The fourth material change is the use of '8-Nines' copper wire instead of 4N. Then come the factory specs, and all are superior. Editor PM's measurements provide independent verification – but the gains include a wider range of acceptable tracking forces, higher compliance, better separation and it tracks better. The new model is lighter, too, at 12.5g vs 15g, despite identical shapes. Ultimately? If you loved the N^o5, you'll adore the N^o8.